Austin, TX – Senator Eddie Lucio has recently proposed new legislation in an effort to have cameras installed in all classrooms utilized by special education students throughout the state.
The legislation stipulates that the visual and audio data garnered from the recordings will be strictly confidential and will be deleted after one year. Additionally, Senate Bill 507 requires that all schools inform parents of the cameras and lawmakers state that they will not be placed in any classrooms where a parent has provided written notification objecting to the use of them. Many who are in support of the bill believe that the cameras will provide documented proof of incidents that could transpire in classrooms, benefiting both teachers and students alike.
However some are opposed to the cameras citing privacy concerns and a similar bill proposed two years ago was unsuccessful as a result. Monty Exter, a lobbyist with The Association of Texas Professional Educators, is opposed to the legislation arguing that poor quality footage could potentially be misinterpreted even when a teacher is using correct and necessary measures to address an issue in the classroom. If the bill passes, Lucio states the cameras must be paid for by school boards but that monies from private donors can be accepted.
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